Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-26
FAMILIES ABOUT EUROPE.
From England to Egypt Especially for
the Eagle.
NO. xxx.

| hslOAO tAoS NeJb SNNFt-0S ~O> 49,
purpose of re-installing Charlie at tn
Monta que school, until our return fror
Palestine and Egypt. The next mornin
we took the train for Dover, crossing th
channel In eighty minutes, without an,
discomfort, then by rail to Paris where
we arrived in due season, having encoun
tered nothing enroute worthy of mention
About four days is all that is required t.
s'do" Paris pretty thoroughly, but In orde
to accomplish this one must attend strict.
to business. There Is no large city *
easy to get about In as Paris. The street,
for the most part are straight and wide
and after one has his bearings he should
experience no difficulty on leaving bill
hotel, for any part OF thu
city, In returning to 1t again, without ap
pealing to policeman or hailing cab. No
tenderfoot would dare risk as much In
London or New York.
OF the Partisan custom and mode Of liv.
ing little need be said, for they are as famil
lar to all as household words, nor is 1t neces
sary to enter into close detail In describing
the many places of interest to be found
here l shall merely dwell on the most
important more for the purpose Of refresh
ing your memory than adding TO your fund
CT knowledge.
Our starting point was the Grand hotel,
which occupies an entire square In the
central part of the city. Across the street
north from the hotel stands the Grand
Opera house, the finest In the world. built
by Louis Napoleon at an enormous ex-
pense, and now owned by the government.
Some Idea Of its vast proportions may be
gained when one considers that four hun
bred houses were torn down to make room
for the site 1t occupies. In the
opposite direction, and less than five min
uies walk from our starting point, Is the
Madeline, or church of St. Mary Magda
line, 1t Is after the Greek style of archi-
lecture and the heavy Corin,hian columns
In front give it qnlte an imposing appear
ance. Though the foundations were laid
In 1854 II was only completed in 1912. 1t
cost So. SOC, 900. In the late civil war 1t
was barricaded by the communists, and as
grand finale to that fearful drama, 700
insurgents were SHOT to death on Its col
onade. having taken refuge In the ssnctu-
airy they had desecrated, only to meet the
doom that summarily awaited them. The
Place de la Concorde Is nearly due south
from here. 1t Is beautiful square, con-
tanning an Obelisk-the mate to Cleo
patras Needle that stands In Central Park
New York-and eight statues representing
a Ike number of the principal cities in
France. 1t has tragic history which ren
ders It doubly interesting.
In ITO twelve hundred persons were
crushed to death and two thousand MANNED
in a panic that ensued without any cause
on the occasion of display Of fireworks Civ
en- In honor of the marriage of the Dauphin.
In 1898 when the reign Of terror was at its
climax over two thousand persons, includ-
ing Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette,
suffered decapitation by the guillotine.
The instrument that performed this bloody
work Is the same one described In former
letter exhibited In the Chamber Of Horrors
at Madame Tousands In London. Thrice
has this square been the camping ground
for invading armies, the last to occupy 1t
being the Prussians 1871. The Palace of
the Elysee Is little west of this and at the
present time is the official residence Of
President Grevey. Kaiser William stopped
beneath It's roof for three days when
France lay bound to his feet, and its halls
have resounded to the tread of the Greater
and the Lesser Napolean. II was original
" built for the residence OF the notorious
Madame Pompadour.
The Champs Elysees Is broad, straight
avenue leading westward from the Palace
de Ia Concord to the Arc de Triomphe.
This is the finest promenade and drive
way In Paris. At night when the
myriad of gas gets are lighted
and the cafes are doing land office bust
ness, 1t presents a sight not to be found ia
other cities. The Arc de Triomphe or Tri
umphant Arch owes its paternity to Napo,
leon l, who commenced 1t In 1906 when he
was In the arch business. Owing to stress
Of circumstances which seemed to have q
baleful effect In all his enterprises Of this
he failed to complete It. The
work was resumed by Louis PHILIPPE and
grsndest arch In the world, and well it may
be, for 1t cost two millions Of dollars. 1t
Is 100 feet high, 146 feet broad and 70 feet
deep. No less than twelve fine avenues,
laid out by Baron Hsussman, by direction
Of Louis Napoleon, radiate from 1t. 1t Is
with statuary In high relief
the victories OF Napo
con.
The Trocadero palace and gardens are
nearly south from the arch and owe their
existence to the exhibition Of 1878. We
assembled one of the towers In q huge "lift'
that has capacity for conveying forty-two
persons at one time to the top. From here
one gets the finest view to be obtained In
Paris. The garden contains beautiful foun-
tairs and handsome shade trees
besides other ornamentations. The
Champ de Mars lies south across
the river Seine. In this connection / will
only nsme 1t as the spot selected for hold
ing the exhibition In 1889, an event which
will food Paris with Americans. Prepare |
tons are already under good Roadway |
which point to the Importance attached TO I!
1t by the Parisians Many of the build |
ings constructed of iron are nearing COM |
plettOn, and the monument of the greatness |
which Is to stand forever and be without |
rival, Is already assuming vast proportions. |
II Is being constructed solely of iron and |
will tower up 900 feet. An elevstor run |
by steam will convey visitors to the top. |
When 1t Is necessary to put on ascension |
robes there will be no longer any use 10 |
flee to the mountains.
The Hotel des Invalides Is also on the
south side Of the Seine and little ways
east from the Champ des Mars. 1t Is hos
pitsl for decsyed veterans, erected In 1870 |
and covers an area Of thirty one acres.
The front of the building Is 600 feet wide.
A large number of cannon, musty trophies,